Inside Quel'Thalas
by Wolfboy184
Summary: This is based on the documentary 'Inside North Korea' by National Geographic. Citation is in first chapter. A film crew from KMTV accompany high elf healer/eye surgeon on a mission to treat blind b-elves, and film the real Quel'Thalas is really like.
1. Chapter 1

I wrote this recently during a period of str ess and think-block. As I wanted to make a documentary-like story of blood elves in World of Warcraft, and I had writer's block, I used the same format as in the Nation al Geographic Explorer documentary _Inside North Korea_.

Citation:

Yost Peter, dir. Inside North Korea.

Perfs. Lisa Ling, Brian Green, Col. John W Towers.

National Geographic, 2006.

.com/watch?v=QQXfMMHV8FM

Can be found on Youtube and Google Video.

I made this fanfic about blood elves parallel to Inside NK as a means expressing my imagination in the face of stress-induced think block.

Story starts following the "++++++++++"

Enjoy!

Inside Quel'thalas 

Dir. Mara 65.

Kerning Metro TeleVision (KMTV) Films. 2001. (aired Nov. 15,2001 19:00)

**INSIDE QUEL'THALAS: LIFE IN THE SECLUDED BLOOD ELF KINGDOM **

Mysterious. Terrifying. Quel'thalas is the most isolated nation on the planet. Tel'kar Sin'scothar, the King and Grand Magister, rules as a god-king with an iron fist. He controls Azeroth's second largest army, and has enriched arcane fuel for weapons of mass destruction. Now, we will venture into Quel'thalas with a man on a mission. We will find a world of fear, paranoia, religious zeal, and absolute conformity, full of suspicious minders, and unimaginable horrors that many risk their lives to escape; as we try to capture the real story of life inside Quel'thalas.

**THE SECLUDED LAND**

July. The Zul'Ankarian Mountains. The border Quel'thalas and Lordaeron. This 541km long mountain range is the second largest mountain chain in Azeroth after the Hyjalian Range in Kalimdor.

The Zul'Ankarian Mountains, also known as the Thalassian-Lordaeron Mountains is best known for itheir role as an impregnable wall of rock separating Quel'thalas off from the rest of the Lordaerus Continent. Until the 5th War, a narrow network of roads and tunnels connected the Blood Elf Kingdom to the Eastern Kingdoms, and have since been demolished.

Conditions are exteremely treacherous if not lethal. The Zul'Ankarian Mountains rise as high as 90,000 feet, with Mt. Anestarian rising as high as 130,000 feet into the sky. Average winter temperatures are -110*C, and summer temperatures hover around -40. These peaks rise into the upper sky, scraping the Avalon Jet Stream, a current of icy air flowing at over 1200 miles an hour. Winds deflected from the Avalon Jet Stream flow downard into the valleys and gaps at over 800 miles per hour, with a windchill of over -minus 175*C. Here blizzards blow with greater force than hurricane winds, shotblasting every exposed surface with ice and snow turned shrapnel. Any living thing is shredded alive in seconds.

Every summer when weather conditions are calmer the numerous armies of Blood Elves will attempt to trek accross the Zul'Ankarians, heavily armored, buffed, and armed. Thousands of Blood Elves die from the cold or lack of oxygen. Those who survive long enough are killed off by Azeroth's coalition forces determined to not let them get through.

Despite Nature's ongoing icy wrath, the Zul'Ankarian Mountains have become the heaviest militarized borderland in Azeroth or any other country in the world. The Alliance and Horde platoons of troops of all classes are on constant alert for threats from the north.

"All good here..."  
"Let's move on!"

This joint team of rogues, and soldiers, under command of the Forsaken, is responsible for stalking the region and conducting reconnaisance, suerveillance, and to sound the alarm, and to shoot and kill any Blood Elves they see.

Behind mounds of snow, chasms, geyesrs of liquid methane, trees, 40-foot fences of barbed wire, bricks, mesh, and cement, Quel'thalas has an army of 4 million Blood Elves, all likely to have level 80 or higher skills and abilities constantly battling the weather and attempting to breach the 541 mile long barrier and stretch of fortifications. They control a stockpile of mana-radiation bombs and arcane bombs that wreak more destruction than nuclear weapons. On the southern side, an army of Forsaken troops wait for the order from their Banshee Queen to attack. The undead army have at their disposal a large stockpile of bio and chemical weapons specially designed for use against Blood Elves.

In Dalaran, the Blood Elves occupy a section of the main island, and it is separated by a heavily fenced and fortified demilitarized zone called the Rouje Front. Silver Covenant-lead coalition forces are constantly on alert.

The two vast armies are growing in the Rouje Front and in the Zul'Ankarian Mountains, in a race to be more numerous and heavily armed than the other. In the Rouje Front, at the center line where the fences are, several factions from around Azeroth have troops stationed here, including the Alliance and the Horde. A history of peace between the two since the fall of Lich King Arthas Menethil has allowed for cooperation and partnership between Alliance and Horde troops along this border. Together, they have 750,000 troops along the border. The Argent Crusade is also present with another 125,000 troops watching the Forsaken. Troops from foreign countries including Maple World and Roika are also stationed here as part of this peace-keeping coalition, dedicated to deter either the Blood Elves or Undead from fighting. The Kerning City Police SWAT force has twenty five teams stationed here. The coalition force patrols the fortifications along the border, keeping away troops from either army. All are on the south side of the fences and barriers marking the border.

What makes this place so dangerous is the uncertainty of what lies on the other side of the divide.

Quel'thalas is one of the most secretive kingdoms on the planet. Despite it is just a province of Azeroth, it acts as a separate nation. It is regarded as an information black hole. But we know some basic facts: Quel'thalas is roughly the size of Alaska. It has 875 million Blood Elves, a sparkling capital: Silvermoon City, and is completely controlled by the Sin'scothar dynasty. Tel'kar Sin'scother is an absolute dictator. He is worshipped in a personality cult that is more extreme than in Henesys, or any other place in history.

Blood Elf refugee Cqynn 'Bucky,' Salore former worker in the blood elf media prior to fleeing, has an extensive knowledge on Tel'kar Sin'scothar.

"No one questions the Sin'scothar dynasty. They are absolute in every way. Their word is law. Tel'kar is the state. Questioning his motives or ability to rule will get you killed."

Every blood elf is trained from birth to worship and love the Sin'scothars. No outside sources of information are allowed. News- scrolls, radio, and TV are controlled by the regime. There is no ranged communication, mobile communication devices- magical or electronic- have been banned. And many blood elves don't even know their brethren have been on Outland.

'Bucky' defected from Quel'thalas.

[translated from Thalassian] _"...there's no actual freedom. it's a kingdom run on tyranny, dictatorship, and religion. I don't think anyone can understand Quel'thalas, until they experience it."_

Quel'thalas is known as a hermit kingdom because of its extreme isolation from the rest of Azeroth and the entire world.

But up in the floating city of Dalaran, one man is literally planning to bring light to the darkness of Quel'thalas. High elf eye doctor and priest Quinn Olsan travels Azeroth setting up clinics for people in war-torn and impoverished areas. Revered by the Cenarion Circle and Kirin Tor for his work, Olsan trains local healers and medics in cheap and effective treatments that don't require heal spells. Quel'thalas may be his biggest challenge yet.

Thousands of mana-less blood elves and undead blood elf slaves go blind due to exposure to arcane radiation- which disrupts vitamin distribution to their eyes. Mana-less elves are a new generation whom have evolved genes that allow their bodies to function without having to consume arcane energy and self-produced mana. However the arcane radiation poisons them and blindness is one of the many arcane-induced health problems they suffer. Undead slaves- elves or captured humans, etc are also harmed by the arcane radiation and nearly all go blind within their first two years. Maintenance by Blood Elf apothecaries is expensive and costly. A lack of care, or even attention is the main cause of this.

"..Blood Elves neglect their mana-less brethren, and refuse to treat them or provide them with elixirs that could protect them from arcane radiation. It's very rare that a mana-less elf, hell even more rare for an undead slave, is to be treated. And they're not all. There is a large number of outborns- blood elves born outside the kingdom to refugee parents. Their genetics are based on if the parents' bodies detect arcane or not, and if the parents convieved and beared a child outside, then that child will be a mana-less blood elf. Many outborns are kidnapped and brought back, and the danger of arcane rays is just a fraction of the problems they face when brought back here. Then there's a number of people- elves, humans, dwarves, maybe tauren, orcs, gnomes, dreni, who have been kidnapped and brought back to be used as slaves. Some are killed and risen into undead, regardless, they all face a likelihood of blindness."

Doctors and healers have conducted research on the matter, and have confirmed that arcane-induced blindness is temporary up to five years of exposure. Within that time limit when one is removed from arcane rays, he/she will be able to see again within 48 hours. After five years, they may face permanent blindness. The arcane radiation affects the lens, the component in the eyeball affected the most by arcane radiation. Arcane rays and vitamin defecits will cause bubbles to form in the lens, permanently obscuring vision.

Olsan plans to give his patients specially enchanted flexi-glass lens that will not require vitamins to function. The few nutrients will be distributed to the rods and cones in the back of the eyeball- nerves that convert light and color into bio-electrical signals for the brain.

Olsan plans to go to Quel'thalas and do more than 5000 surgeries in less than a month. His mission is purely humanitarian. He plans to transplant new artificial lens into the eyes of the blind, and restore their eyesight.

What the Blood Elves don't know is that our camera crew and journalists are going with him. I'm Mara 65, a reporter for KMTV. Our camera crew and Adventure Librarians are posing as members of Quinn Olsan's medical team. We're going to document his work and show the world what life is like in Quel'thalas.

The Blood Elf kingdom is the most secluded and dangerous territory in Azeroth. Adventure Librarians from Ellinia and a KMTV film crew are posing as high elf priest Quinn Olsan's medical team as the revered high elf of the Kirin Tor embarkes on an epic quest to do more than 5000 eye surgeries on Blood Elves who have lost their vision..

This meeting in a Dalaran hotel room will be the last time any of us can talk in private.

Mara: _"So there will be a Blood Elf minder travelling with us the entire time from here to Silvermoon?"_

Olsan: _"From here to Silvermoon, and back to Dalaran, yes."_

Blood Elf minders will meet us in Dalaran and monitor every step until the trip is over. Olsan knows that our Roikan cameraman, Aarne and I will be watched very carefully.

_"Do you think Aarne and I will be followed?"_

_"Yes, without a doubt. They will be watching you all hours of the day. And take note, the red guards will have their weapons at the ready. Do as I say, and remain calm at all times, and no harm will come to you."_

Our cameras, electronic devices will be fried by the arcane radiation in Quel'thalas. All we can use to record images, video and audio is with mana powered crystals. But Olsan is concerned and wants them hidden or buried in the bottom of our suitcases.

We meet with the Blood Elf minders in the Sunreavers' Sanctum, the Blood Elves' 'embassy'. They check our luggage. Olsan is fluent in Thalassian as well as English. The minder, Alore, tells us that everything is fine. After we are checked out, and given strange-tasting arcane-proof elixirs, we are good to go. Four other Blood Elves are keeping their eye on us from a distance, even when we come to Krasus Landing; the airport.

Every one of us is on edge as we wait for our flight.

The flight is not scheduled, but specially arranged. There are no scheduled flights between Dalaran and Silvermoon, only when the Sun Reavers (Quel'thalas' Blood Elf world representatives), or the higher- ups at home request transport, or when supplies are needed.

The Blood Elves have a fleet of 45 arcane-powered air ships that resemble large obscure hover planes- the only aircraft in Azeroth that can brave the below-freezing violent winds of Northrend, and the radiation of the new Sunwell, and arco-magnetic barriers over Quel'thalas itself.

After nearly sixteen hours in the air, we sneak pictures as we approach Quel'thalas. The land is covered with a canopy of gold and silver trees, as well as altered common species of coniferous and decidious trees, giving the canopy a sparkling mix of colors. The grass ranges from blue to green to purple to even black and white. Because of the arco-magnetic sheild, part of the massive climate-control system, incoming sunlight is filtered, the filtered light reflecting off of the molecules in the air, making the sky look pink. The weather is also controlled my massive climate control stations which draw water from the ocean and convert it to vapour that will eventually form clouds and produce rain.

Behind the arco-magnetic sheild, the world is almost entirely different. The air is richer in oxygen here- up to 70% of the air in Quel'thalas is oxygen gas- Blood Elves require nearly four times as much oxygen as humans.

The rest of the 30% is nitrogen, fluorine, xenon, neon, and helium. Blood Elves exhale elemental fluorine, which is highly toxic. The volumes of this gas exhaled by Blood Elves is more than enough to cause ignition of non arco-enchanted organic materials...such as our clothes, hair, and even skin. Flourine poisioning can induce abdominal pain, diarrhea, swallowing difficulty, hypersalivation (drooling), nausea, vomiting, headaches, muscle weakness, spasms, seizures, and even organ failure. Blood Elves are immune to flourine, but anyone else in Quel'thalas, even mana-less elves must take a prescribed elixir to protect their bodies from the toxic gas.

Fortunately it is absorbed as an essential nutrient by the dense vegetation in Quel'thalas. Blood Elves can adapt their breathing to various other atmosphric conditions and air mixes, changing what they inhale and ex-hale, but the atmosphere here in Quel'thalas benefits them the most.

Our minder, Alore tells us to keep two vials on each of us at all times- once containing the arcane proof, the other containing an organic compound that will break down the elemental flourine as we inhale it. He says it's a precaution although the risk of actually getting flourine poison is minimal.

When we arrive in Quel'thalas, we will find out for sure. We will be at risk of becoming seriously ill from arcane radiation, elemental fluorine, and various other naturally occuring chemical compounds in Quel'thalas. Back in Dalaran, we were warned by an officer of the Silver Covenant, an enemy watch group of the Blood Elves, that they may choose not to treat us if we fall ill. Or that they may deny us these medicine if they choose so. Our safety is best ensured by our polite, positive, unquestioning demeanour.


	2. Chapter 2

**MEETING THE BLIND**

After hours in the air, we steal some pictures as we approach Quel'thalas. Normally humans are not welcome inhere, and we are told we will be the only 'extra-nationals' in the entire kingdom. Blood Elf animosity towards the rest of Azeroth hasn't changed since the Sin'scothar revolution, nearly 80 years ago. They still call the Alliance and Horde imperial meddlers, and hold them responsible for all the Blood Elves' hardships. Orcs, Tauren, Forsaken, goblins, night elves, gnomes, worgen, and draeni are forbidden from coming here and are the subject of comtempt, and hatred. Humans are very rarely allowed in, and grace isn't the only reason why.

As we land at the air station outside Silvermoon, we are checked again and again by the Blood Elf guards. Magi, hunters, and even paladins stand watch, eyes on us, weapons at the ready. To them, beings of foreign races emit what they call a foul smell. The hunters' dragonhawks snarl and sniff, eager to attack, but are held back by their stern-faced masters. We are forced to down another potion they say will eliminate the smell. We are in Blood Elf territory, and refusal to cooperate could merit use of violent force.

As we comply with the bizarre demands and orders of this 'welcoming comitte' we find ourselves stripping our own dignity- our clothes, and personal items such as wallets, etc, and wearing what they tell us to wear out of respect for their culture and society.

With no more than a collapsable wall for privacy, we remove our clothes and don the green robes- the visitor's uniform. Yellow Thalassian letters stitched on the front, back, and sidelegs indicate the word 'extra-national.' Blood Elf locals will keep their distance from us.

Even the appearance of our hair is a concern to them, Aarne's mop-style hair angers one of our hosts. Alore and Olsan have to calm her and the cameraman pleads unwariness of hairstyle standards here.

We are made to stand on the spot as more Blood Elves come in and work on our hair. Without anyone's approval, they cut, dye, and tie everyone's hair. Because of Olsan's diplomatic reputation, he is spared this process. He tells us of their strict appearance standards for human visitors.

On the ground, we get our first glimpses of the capital, Silvermoon, and shoot undercover footage- no easy task with Blood Elves surrounding us. We pass broad streets and giant skyscraper buildings. Blood Elves coming and going. We see pictures of Sin'scothar family members everywhere. Silvermoon, one of Quel'thas' 75 large cities, is home to the elite, upper-class, and higher working class Blood Elves. The regime rewards good people by letting them live in the cities. Unless you are a high ranking Blood Elf, you need a permit to travel anywhere in the country.

Since we stepped off the air ship, there's the feeling of being completely cut off from the outside world.

At the healing center outside Starlight City, 350 miles east of Silvermoon, many Blood Elves have gathered here, awaiting eye surgery. Since the Blood Elf guards know we're documenting Olsan's eye surgery, we are allowed to film with our memory crystals inside. Hopefully this will let us see past the propaganda that is usually presented to outsiders.

Health care in Quel'thalas for normal Blood Elves is very high, and almost anything is treatable. For mana-less elves, or others who are untreatable, or undead pets (humans, elves, etc) health care is almost non-existant. Mana-less elves must rely on their family for any form of support, but many have been renounced and cast away by their families. Blindness is treated by means of inducing arcane bleeding- puncturing of the eye-wall on the cornea to allow excess arcane residue to leak out, reduce the pressure that is interfering with the lens. However this treatment is not always successful, and the regime now favors implanting artifical eye-lens to combat the blindness crisis. That's why we were allowed in to begin with.

We are at a makeshift medical center on the edge of a town called Inle, a cross-roads center for the farming comunities in the surrounding agricultural and industrial zones. 350 miles southeast of Silvermoon City. Healers at actual medical centers refused to help Olsan with the surgeries because he was ordered to work on mana-less elves first, and prove that it really is miracle work he's doing here. We catch the ire and the glare from normal Blood Elves who don't like the idea of the inferior beings in their country being treated first...or at all.

Our team has had to bring most of our medical equipment and supplies with us. Lead casing around the electrical generator and medical machines provides enough protection from the arcane radiation.

Olsan must do 5000 surgeries to help blind Blood Elves see, and if the mission is a true success, he will train Blood Elf doctors, nurses, and healers how to carry on his work, after we leave.

_"It is important that any Blood Elf with any background here- they don't even need to be a healer- know about this kind of medical work. Especially those living in farming communities and poor areas. Treatment is hard to access, if not accessible at all. That's why I am here, so that these people will be able to care for their own and eachother, well, starting with blindness treatment."_

While we're anxious to get to work, our minders want to take us to see their version of Quel'thalas.

**ARCANE PARADISE **

We're starting to get a sense of what it's like to be trapped under the iron grasp of the ruling Sin'scothar dynasty. At the library, a huge section of shelving holds books all by one author. Tel'kar's father and founder of this communist regime Tyndistor Sin'scothar. I hope we can see what life's really like here. The Sin'scothars control everything. And the rare times they've granted extra-nationals access, they've only been shown idealized versions of the country.

Like in this Roikan documentary called _A Day in the Sun_.

In this scene, a Blood Elf mother sings nursery rhymes as she takes her children to school.

(Translated from Thalassian_)"Sing with me, kids: The humans and the orcs keel on the ground. They writhe in agony from our spells, feel the might of our power!"_

Then she goes to work at a textiles shop. It's a working Blood Elf's paradise. Each day before starting their shifts, the workers sing along to music, some of which is praise music for the Sun or the Sin'scothars.

_"..We wish to follow our infinitely strong hearted Magisters..."_

While they listen to music, they will work for nearly twelve hours. Energised by arcane and mana crystals each worker keeps close by.

When she returns home, she joins her family at a lavish dinner. A house servent, possibly undead slave, stands silently in the background. Family members will dust and clean the Sin'scothar family portrait posted above the dining table. They will not even allow a single grain of dust to settle on the etched glass portraits.

The movie, distributed in Azeroth, Ivalice, Roika and Maple World, shows only the cheerful facade, because in Quel'thalas, image matters. And Blood Elves go to the extreme to show their best face to the outside world.

**BORDERLANDS**

The Zul'Ankarian Mountains block all access to and from Quel'thalas; the only opening in the mountain range cutting Quel'thalas off from Forsaken-occupied Lordaeron- the Plaguelands used to be a small road, but was demolished following the Fifth War. There is no Blood Elf base of operations in the mountains, just a string of encampments where Sin'scothar's troops froze to death in their suits of armor and terrain vehicles. Twenty miles south is the Forsaken base BQR, short for _Banshee Queen's Revenge_. It is a massive heavily fortified bunker, and is as large as half of Stormwind. Resistant to the cold, the Forsaken have hundreds of thousands of undead troops lurking the mountains and forests. Coalition forces of the Alliance, Horde, and non-Azerothian factions such as the Kerning City Police's SWAT Rangers, also operate here, and depend on the Forsaken's backup and resources. As more funds are being allocated, new detection systems are being set up to make it easier to spot Blood Elves.

On Dalaran Island, the Rouje Front zone stretches around the Blood Elves' small occupied zone, and is heavily fortified, fenced, and littered with mines. The only opening is at the joint security area called Checkpoint Marien's Skorn. Checkpoint 'Skorn is directly accross the border from the Blood Elves' checkpoint, Trasnola Terroane Cillion, their base of operations. In between the two centers right on the border are three green brick huts, the Emerald House in the center, is where the armistice agreement ending the Fifth War was signed.

In the distance, you can see the Forsaken village Heart Burn. It has a 300 foot flag pole with a flag bearing the Forsaken coat-of-arms mounted to it above. Heart Burn also serves as the frontline commanding base for the undead army lurking behind the buildings, fences and dense mountain forests here. Despite the Silver Covenant's opposition to the presence of Forsaken troops in the Rouje Front, they are still an ally they cannot afford to be without.

Nearby is the Alliance-Horde base Mok'Hogan, with a 500 foot flag pole bearing flags of the Alliance, Horde, respective member factions, and others including that of the Argent Crusade, Sha'tar, Cenarion Circle, and Kirin Tor. It is the commanding base for the Horde-Alliance-foreign coalition peacekeeping force patrolling the actual border itself.

Just a two miles accross the border beyond T.T. Cillion, is the Blood Elf village Sal'Masua; not to be outdone. They built a flag pole 800 feet high; the tallest in Azeroth. The town itself is not a small vulnerable farming village as it appears. The Blood Elf base is just below it underground.

The village is empty, and only undead-elf slaves act as locals. This and a string of other Blood Elf villages were built over the years in effort to entice blood elves, humans, and undead residing in Lordaeron to defect. Nothing's what it seems here.

**ZAALORE NATIONAL PARK, QUEL'THALAS**

After working in the heal center for days, our minders take us to a park and let us bring our special arcane-powered cameras and crystals. The cameras were issued to us, having been confiscated from other extra-nationals years ago.

Aarne, our cameraman sees a bench encased in rectangular crystal block.

_"so...why is it in a glass block?"_

_"Our people want to preserve it. The Sin'Scothar Family picknick here during High Sun. We want no damage."_

The bench was sat on by Tyndistor Sin'Scothar himself. Back on the streets of Starlight City, our cameraman wants to take a picture of the huge statue of Sin'Scothar. It's gigantic, so he sits on the ground so he can see the whole thing through his new camera. This angers our minders Alore, Achien and Telithvia, and they sternly let him know it's a mistake.

Telithia (Thalassian)"_HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GET OFF THE GROUND THIS INSTANT, YOU FILTHY WORM! I should kill you right now!"_

Achien (Thalassian) _"You are disgracing our leaders! How dare you! Do not do that, human!"_

Alore (Thalassian) _"Shut up, you two! Telithia! Lower your wand at once! These humans are too stupid to know their trespass! You too, Achien!"_

Alore (English)_ "Get off the ground! By doing that, you are disgracing our leaders! You should be ashamed of yourself! Very few humans dare to show such reckless disrespect in our fair kingdom. I trust you do not think before you act?"_

Aarne _"Oh shit, I'm terribly sorry about that, I-"_

Alore _"Destroy that image! It offends us!"_

Alore presses buttons on the arcane-powered camera and deletes the image.

Telithia threatens to fry him with an arcane blast with her wand. Alore shouts at her until she disperses with her arcane shot.

_"Sorry, sir, I'll, uh, ask before-"_

_"No. There is no one, no extra-national who just sits down in front of our great leader's statue and just takes a picture. Tomorrow, I'm sending you people out of our country."_

Alore fails to follow up on his threat to kick us out of Quel'thalas. Deporation is more than just merciful. It's not even a threat. To us, that is almost like a reward. Normally Blood Elves kill foreigners for less offensive acts. If not death, then a variety of horrid punishments are in store for us if any one of us fails to respect everything around here. Our minders make it very clear to us.

However, it's clear that there is still a high degree of antagonism between Blood Elves and outsiders ever since the Sin'scothar dynasty took power following Regent Lord Lor'themar's death.

In 1657 on our calendar, the Scourge attacked and invaded Quel'thalas and corrupted and destroyed the old Sunwell at Quel'Danas Island. The brutal occupation ended more than 4000 years of Quel'thalas' rein as a soverign nation. The elves' defeat and the destruction of the Sunwell was a major source of shame.

In 1787, the Blood Elves re-took their kingdom and after being betrayed by the Alliance became a member of the Horde, and fought alongside old enemies in the 4th War that ended the Scourge's occupation over vast territories in Azeroth.

In 1792, 30 years after the defeat of the Lich King, the Sin'Scothars staged a violent revolution overthowing the Regent Lord's government, after years of a continuing energy crisis.

Tyndistor Sin'scothar led the movement and declared himself Grand Magister- and new ruler of the Blood Elves.

In 1801, a force of blood elf death knights stormed Undercity and attacked and looted the apothecarium, using the equipment they needed to raise an army of undead elves, and humans for use as labor in the construction of the new Sunwell and string of artificial islands off the coast.

Sin'scothar invaded old Lordaeron, driving out the Forsaken, taking the land as future living space. Having just settled land disputes with the Forsaken, the Alliance and Horde backed the undead and fought the massive blood elf army, pushing them out of the Plaguelands, and driving them back to Thalassian Pass. The Forsaken opposed Blood Elf expansion at all cost. As many as 8 million in total died in the Plaguelands War. In a 4 month period alone, the Blood Elves dropped nearly 5 million mana bombs and detonated three arcane bombs, wiping out entire cities and regions. Nearly a thousand tons of biological weapons were used against the Blood Elves. 18 of 22 cities and towns in southern Quel'thalas, and 30 out of 45 towns in the Plaguelands were destroyed.

In 1808, the fighting ended with a ceasefire agreement. The border between Quel'thalas remained almost exactly as it was before the war began. The Zul'ankarian Mountains are still the border. Contrary to popular belief, the war did not actually end in 1808. There was never a peace treaty. The Forsaken and Sin'dorei are still technically at war. And more than 76,200 days later, the war continues today. The joint security area- in the Rouje Front on Dalaran Island, is the only place where Blood Elves stand toe to toe with the rest of Azeroth.


	3. Chapter 3

**THE BORDER**

In the Rouje Front in Dalaran, and the Zul'Ankarian Mountains in the Eastern Kingdoms, the border separating blood elf territory and the rest of Azeroth is marked by a twenty foot high wall built of very strong metal-concrete resin, built by the Blood Elves. The edge of this thick slippery wall touches the line itself. Pictures are etched on the outer side of the wall showing Blood Elf patriotism, and promoting acts of violence against everyone else. Phrases etched in Thalassian, Orcish, and Common (English) are written threats, warnings and insults to onlookers.

Ten feet of mud, snow, ice and dirt separate the Blood Elf wall from the row of fences built of bricks, cement, steel, mesh, and barbed wire. Every 300 feet, Alliance and Horde watch towers give guards the oversight of the entire area in the mountains and on Dalaran Island. Armed with guns, and long ranged magic and conventional weapons, hunters, warlocks, mages, and even paladins keep a sharp eye. Even lowly soldier grunts keep their guns up, ready to shoot any Blood Elf that dares to venture out via the trap doors along their wall. On top of the Blood Elf wall, red guards and death knights of the Sin'Death Army walk the length of the wall, glaring down at their enemies.

In the mountains, past the Alliance and Horde watch towers, there is another row of fences, traps, designed to keep the Forsaken army out as well. It is the job of the coalition peacekeeping forces to make sure that absolutely no one from either side attempts to breach the border. The peacekeepers' orders are shoot to kill. The entire fenced area; littered with mines and traps, home to pet beasts, demons, and elementals, is nearly three miles wide, and every 300 feet is a fence covered with sharp protrusions, or poisons, or coated with a non- airborne lethal blight. Tall poles show to the north and south the various banners of the factions and organisations present here.

Foreign troops from both Roika and Maple World and various other countries are present. SWAT Teams 216, 174, 368, 393, and 575 of the Kerning City Police are also present, acting as the main gunnery force here. Bombquad 231 and 316 are also present, and are responsible for the 26,000 mines that litter the fenced area.

Beyond the peacekeepers' border area, Forsaken watch towers are visible in the distance. In the plagued forest to the south, Forsaken troops lurk and wait. It is not even safe for a foolish peackeeper to venture out there alone. Neither the Blood Elves or Forsaken welcomed the Alliance-Horde Peacekeepers- they dropped in and fortified themselves here in the valley and set up this blockade; while Warchief Thrall's diplomats forced the Banshee Queen and Grand Magister to submit to a ceasefire.

In the center of the Rouje Front, there is a gap in the border fences where the road goes through. Three huts, constructed by carpenters from Stormwind sit right on the border. The Blood Elf wall diverts around them and split where a huge spire-like building stands.

Between the huts, concrete blocks- six inches wide, four inches high, and 15 feet long mark the border between Lordaeron and Quel'thalas. Here Blood Elf troops literally stand facing soldiers of the Horde and Alliance. The tension here is extremely high.

This is the joint security area. Azeroth's Pammunjun and Checkpoint Charlie. It is commonly named Checkpoint Marien's Skorn, named after Vrykul huntress Marien Icedottir, who lead Vrykul armies in driving out blood elf invaders from Northrend. The Silver Covenant and Kirin Tor are the main keepers of security here. Just on the other side of the border is the Blood Elves' portion of the joint security area, Trasnola Terroaine Cillion, Thalassian for 'Frontier Gate Confrontation.'

Every flinch is monitored. In a separate documentary, men from the Hyrulian Guard and Kerning Police's SWAT Team 741 are seen standing standing at the border, hands clenched in fists, staring at the Blood Elf guards.

Every flinch, glare, grunt, sigh, shiver, and breath is monitored. So much as a rude gesture to the Blood Elves could re-start the war.

Along the frontier in Lordaerus, near the southern side of the fortified divide, coalition troops are staring down the Forsaken army. The Argent Crusade has most of its troops stationed facing the Undead, and the Kights of the Ebon Blade keep a sharp eye on the Sin'Death Army's death knights.

Nobody has budged or even blinked for more than 200 years. In this area, each side shows it's best face. The Blood Elves only put their most poweful troops, who are constantly trying to spook others by crackling magic in their hands, or their staves and wands.

The Peace keepers stack their side with men and women who are at least 6 feet tall, and are Level 80 certified in all their combat skills. On the Maple and Roikan skill level identifaction systems, thats roughly equivalent to 200 or higher. Only the biggest, most intimidating looking troops are in this joint-security area, and only the craftiest, and alert are patrolling the mountains.

However between the Green Huts at Rouje Front JSA, there are times when Blood Elf troops don't always stand facing the coalition forces. There is a history of blood elves fleeing Quel'thalas, and measures are taken to prevent their troops from defecting. In this 'border alley' between the huts, two Blood Elves will stand on opposite sides of the alley, and face eachother. To prevent either of them from defecting. A third stands in the middle facing northward, watching many of the lower-ranking Blood Elf troops. Each of them wears a red ball-like trinket that is remote-detonable by the generals in the spire. In the winter, temperatures plunge well below freezing, and the Blood Elves require more effort to maintain their composure outside of their climate-controlled homeland.

Blood Elves exhale ozone and flourine gas, and because flourine is toxic to others, Blood Elf troops consume potions that cause them to exhale more flourine, and a deadly mix of toxic chemicals. Because of this, coalition troops don't stand right next to the border marker, unless they are wearing gas-masks- a rare sight here as concealing one's face will agitate the Blood Elves. Buckets containing antidote substances and blights will release harmless chemicals and microbes that feed off of the flourine exhalant.

Bucky: [Thalassian] _"At both DMZ's, everyone is considered the enemy."_

Defector Cwynn 'Bucky' Salore used to be a watchtower guard in the Zuk'Ankarian Mountains.

_"Whether you're a Blood Elf resident, soldier or defector, we had to kill without question."_

With everyone watching, no one can cross here. And getting accoss anywhere else along either DMZ is suicidal if not impossible. The demilitarized zone in the mountains stretches from coast to coast, spanning over 500 miles and covers nearly the entire mountain range. The Blood Elves are only as fortified along a 2-mile wide stretch if land near the arco-magnetic sheild. There are nearly a trillion land mines, high voltage arcane and electric fences and millions of soldiers, crossing over is unthinkable. The border is almost an impregnable divide. But below ground, both the Forsaken, and blood Elves have built a total of 28 invasion tunnels into the other side. The longest tunnel, built by Blood Elves' slaves, is wide enough to allow 10,000 Blood Elf troops three hours to sneak behind enemy lines.

Kerning City's Quake Busters' Co. Ltd has supplied over 25 billion mesos' worth of seismic detection equipment, along with 80 drills, boring machines and excavators, covering the peacekeepers' effort to stop the Forsaken and Blood Elves from tunneling under. Employees from this company are permanently stationed here, for no less than two years each. Quake Busters' contract with the Alliance has proven to be the company's biggest success as they are needed along almost the entire border, planting and maintaining detection equiment and relaying emergency signals.

Other companies are also present with necessary equipment to detect toxins and airborne biological threats. As the peace keeping force fortifies itself between two enemy armies, no precaution is overlooked. The upkeep for this mission is costing the Horde and the Alliance over 2.6 million gold a day (5.4 trillion mesos), a price they're willing to pay to stop a war that could threaten the entire country of Azeroth.

The border helps Quel'thalas helps to keep its own citizens inside, and cut off from the outside world.

**CURING THE BLIND**

Back in Inle, hundreds of Blood Elf patients from all walks of life are waiting to be treated. They have been picked by the government to see Dr. Olsan. Waiting in line is an old Blood Elf woman who has been blind for over 70 years. Her son-in-law has brought her here. Dr. Olsan examines her to determine it's the cataracts in her eyes. A cataract is a clouding of the lens by bubbles, caused by arcane-radiation and nutrient deficiency. With the right tools, it's easy to extract the old lens, and replace it with a clear plastic/flexiglass one.

Dr. Olsan is ready to begin his surgery. The replacement of each lens takes only minutes. After performing surgeries on undead slaves and mana-less elves, and gaining the approval of the supervising magistrate, he is allowed to perform his surgery on 'real' Blood Elves. He carefully explains and announcies his every move through each surgery. Aarne and I are also trained and put to work. We are forced to work on undead slaves for practice before working on 'real' blood elves.

Olsan (English). _"These Blood Elves are very skittish. None of them likes the idea of having our hands on them, and they sure do not like the idea of cutting into their eyes to switch lens. They are only complying under a government order. Outside this building, three death knights are on patrol. If the patients refuse, someone will gouge their eyes out entirely and replace them with marbles. I've seen it happen. I look forward to when Blood Elves are trained to do this work so that for their blind, it will go alot smoother for patients."_

A team of twenty-five other Blood Elf, students, presumably are watching, and also training. For safety reasons, Olsan forbids u from working with them.

_"No, I want you to stay away from the students. You are your own team. Best go with that. You are lending these slaves and mana-less elves your human compassion. That's more than their brethren will ever show them. Take pride in comfort in that. Please, resume your work."_

As time goes by, Aarne and I are ordered by the minders to conduct our first surgery on a 'real' Blood Elf. This woman has been blind most of her life. Dr. Olsan speculates that plastic lens- which don't emit arcane radiation like her body does, will restore nutrient supply to her eyes and grant her the ability to see. He oversees our surgery and so does everyone else. This is a very tense, nerve wracking moment that could build a small bridge of trust over a very deep gap of animosity, or cause them to attack us.

The patients are given pain-blocking elixirs so they remain consious through the whole procedure. Clenching her fists in anxiety, the woman remain still as we cut slits in the sides of her eyes and Olsan extracts her clouded lens. Every time a patient is without lens, we are in extreme danger. A single foul up, and the guards or death knights will kill us instantly. We successfully plant new lens in her eyes and give her eye patches. She is escorted by the students to a waiting room outside.

This angst and relief cycle will repeat itself thousands of times, and is a very real, sobering test for us all.

After the minders see we have improved and performed successful operations, by their word, we are split up and paired with students. Brief words of Thalassian mark what's to be done and what's needed. We work for hours on end.

Our next patient is only 34, and her blindness has kept her from entering an alchemy school and getting married. And this woman, a farmer, has been dependant on her friend for years. The rate of blindness in Blood Elf women is a hundred times higher than in men as their bodies use more arcane and produce more mana, in some cases severely disrupting nutrient distribution in their bodies.

This guy went blind prior to an arranged marriage. He was discarded by his family, nearly killed by his fiance, and deported to Inle to do farm labor. He tells Olsen of how he has mental maps of the farm he works at and how he is able to navigate his way around Inle. He says he is excited about seeing through his eyes again.


	4. Chapter 4

**MANA LESS ELVES AND UNDEAD ELVES**

As bad as it is, blindness is only one of many problems in Quel'thalas.

Roikan Assist, doctor, and humanitarian worker James Scholley has worked in Quel'thalas for over a year. He snuck in and out of Quel'thalas with the support of the Rogue Gang by use of hearth stones.

A now-famous smuggler, Scholley has distributed pictures of the treatment of lower class Blood Elves, and revealed to the world the ongoing incidents of kidnapping of extra-nationals.

Mana-less Elves are at the bottom of Blood Elf society, deserving almost no more respect than slaves. Other Blood Elves with physical or mental disabilities are also cast down. They are denied the proper care and treatment. They are even denied the food. Food they they have grown on the farms they worked at, or in their own personal gardens that serve as their primary food sources.

Authorities travel accross Quel'thalas' agricultural sectors collecting food from the farmers and sending it to major markets for distribution. In a town such as Inle, home to 5,000, a local market requisitions the harvest and many have access to the food they have grown, after a major amount has been sent to the larger cities. Here in Inle, mana-less elves can purchase goods and supplies for a higher price than 'real' Blood Elves. In smaller towns, the local markets will be more fair and charge the same price. In lager cities, like Silvermoon, mana-less elves are denied even access to the market areas and must beg to buy food from other customers. Many keep extra seed and tend their own gardens when off duty and grow their own crops. It varies wether farmers overlook this or report it as theft.

Right now, in Quel'thalas, there is a famine going on. Thousands of mana-less elves are starving to death and often fail to meet the daily quotas. As they are stripped of the basic necessities they need to live, they will slowly bone out and die. As severe starvation renders them unable to work, they will succumb to arcane sickness. Denied potions and medicines to protect themselves against arcane radiation, they often have relied on nutrients from their own food and water for their skin to protect them.

Even before a famine starts, the red guards will permit the kidnapping of mana-less elves to be sold as slaves, servants or pets on the markets. The death knights will hunt and kill them, and raise them as undead.

This cycle is purposely repeated. Mana-less elves are regarded even less than undead slaves. The reason behind this is they are blamed for a degree of treason committed simply for being different- having genes that allow them not to require arcane energy to function. They are not created in the image of the Sun and are therefore cast away as traitors.

**UNDEAD SLAVES**

Quel'thalas' undead production operations are the main reason for much animosity between Silvermoon and Undercity and the rest of Azeroth. After the defeat of the Lich King, under the new peace treaty, a policy was adopted to prevent the outbreak of another plague of undeath. The very same tool used by Blood Elf apothecaries and death knights in raising undead. Thousands of mana-less elves are raised as undead, stripped of their memories to that of mindless obediant servitors.

Millions of undead provided the labor needed during the construction of the new Sunwell, and are kept in suspended animation in large storage facilities underground. An undead army would boost Blood Elf forces in another possible war. The use of a new undead plague has been a cause for concern and controversy throughout Quel'thalas. Blood Elves have still not forgotten their history of the Third War.

The new plague is not airborne as most Blood Elves believe. It alone kills thousands every year, if used or through an unintended incident, however the difference in this plage as the undead it raises are not aggressive like the Scourge was. They will roam like zombies and are easily rounded up. The virus was designed to programme them to become sensitive to and fear living elves, giving the apothecaries, alchemists, and death knights easy control over them.

Undead elves are also sold on the market as slaves, much like healthy looking mana-less elves, but for a higher price as undead elves are maintained highly by the local apothecariums to look like living elves. Regular maintenance work prevents them from decaying or producing a pungent smell. They do not eat, nor consume any goods. Even children are killed and made into undead slaves, and sold as pets or even household labor.

Slaves and pets recieve little to no respect, in fact their owners on average are cynical and ejoy tormenting them, or will abuse them to let off anger, an emotion which most Blood Elves stack up on frequently.

Families are known to punish their children with undeath for offences such as spilling water to refusing an arranged marriage. Spouses have paid for or performed such blasphemy on their partners during conflicts or heated arguments.

Some undead slaves have retained their memory and Scholley has spoken with them and heard their tales, and silent cries. When not in Quel'thalas, Scholley published his stories in newspapers and magazines, hiding behind a wide variety of nicnames. He has also appeared on TV in Maple World, his raw footage and documentaries broadcast on Gnomergan Gnews Network(Azeroth), CXN (USA), IVAR (Ivalice), KLON, and KMTV (Kerning City).

Scholley (Roikan):

_"They lead an existance of torment, torture, and abuse. Blood Elves are taught to treat their undead as if they are mere animals, no, less than animals. I was in Fa'row, a small farming town on the east coast near the mountains. I played my act pretending to be a human slave, always keeping my gun and a hearthstone on me, and I would work in the greenhouse or the hawkstrider pen with these undead slaves, and they told me horrifying tales of how they ended up that way. Some acciently ate plaged food, others were killed by their partners- their bodies sold to the apothecaries. _

_"This one, ...kid, only eight years old, he, uh, was having a bad day and being rude to his mother, who just happened to be a warlock. She killed him with her corrpution spells and incinerated him all because he refused to eat his lunch. Now he's out here on the farm. They don't always remember what happened to them. Some just know five words, that's it, and they will do a repetitive task 24 hours a day, it's only by marks, or scars that you can get an idea of what happened to them. This one woman, she was new, just another mana-less elf, she was killed by a death knight at the request of her father. I saw her walking around here, and just randomly, her heart fell out and hit the ground. Now she keeps it in a box buried underground somewhere around the farm."_

Undead slaves are forbbiden to interact with one another other than to work. They are forbidden to socialize, and form any sort of relationships. Living elves, such as a supervisor, a Red Guard, or a death knight terrorize them and keep them silent. Many are implanted with gems that are remote controlled to inflict pain and suffering on them.

Bucky remembers his experience with undead slaves.

(Thalassian)

_"..When I was a kid, I believed what they said about them being just animals or toys, until a friend of mine died in a freak accident at work. He fell and was impaled on a pole at a construction site. He died before the healers could get to him. His family sold his corpse to the apothecaries, and my father told me that he was gone and the undead thing that he had become was nothing, and he told me not to show any...uh...softness towards those things._

_When I was eighteen, and my parents were arranging the marriage for me and the magistrix's daughter, they took me out for a suprise on my birthday. It was paid for by the magistrix. So we drove out in this hovering crystal carriage to Far'ow where the apothecarium was, and we stopped at this farm, and I saw for the first time of mana-less elves and slaves up close. My fiance was with me, too. I remember her embracing me from behind, and saying with a smile on her face, "Pick a good one, my love,"_

_We were at the edge of the field where the undead slaves were working, and walked into the greenhouse. I asked to look around just so I could stall for time. My parents and in-laws were there too, and my fiance was going to buy a slave too._

_When I was in school, a teacher talked to us about undead slaves. She said that they were well-cared for, and they were always at peace and lived only to please their masters. She said 'going out to buy a slave will be just like going out to buy a cat."_

_At the farm, it was totally different. The mana-less were starving, and I could see their thin frames through their thin clothes. The farm owner, a mage or something, pleaded with me just to go to the green house and to the 'warehouse' as the apothecary elves called it, but I lied and said I wanted to see everything for myself, and I reasoned with him by saying I wanted to gaze with superiority. He's like "Well, son, I can't deny you that. Between you and me, it's a fleeting moment I'll let you have, because when you are married you will have to be just as subserviant." _

_My fiance laughed at that, and her laugh..ugh...it was like this spine tingling howling cackle. I hate when our women laugh more than humans do. That keeps you up at night. I knew right there that he meant she could kill me and I would have ended up like the slaves._

_They were miserable. Depressed, sulking, walking hunched over like this while the slave penners shot them with arcane sparks or beat them over the head with wands. They weren't well maintained at all, Bones were broken and sticking out. One's arm kept falling off and he was always bending over to pick it up and put it back in the socket._

_They weren't all Blood Elves either. Some were human, some gnomes, some other kinds of elves. I even saw tauren slaves that were sold to heavy labor. My ex said they were captured and brought here. There were living slaves of these kind, and how she preferred them undead._

_My fiance was enjoying it, she was shooting them with sparks, flames, ice rain, laughing watching them twich flinch, cry in pain. She even killed some mana less elves and demanded the farm owner to sell them for her._

_We were in the green house and that's where they kept all the well maintained undead slaves. They were kept in these pens. The floor was rock. Other slaves with staff walked around watching them. In their pens was nothing but a potted plant they watched. They didn't take their eyes off the plants. Some of them were kids, and on each pen was a note of how they died, if they remembered or not. Because the owner wanted them to look nice for sale when they went to market, no one was allowed to spark them._

_My fiance picked this shrimply little undead girl, touching her, turning her over, inspecting her like she was some kind of statue, and with excitement of having just found a pet, she's like "I'll take this one. It's cute! Cwynn, dear pick a good one for me, this little one is adorable!"_

_Everyone was watching me, and I knew I'd end up in here, so I looked around and as she said, I looked for someone who didn't remember the past agony they went through and went with that. I felt guilt the entire time. It was the worst birthday ever for me. We went home, and I had a kit of remote mana crystals, potions I was to inject the slave with, and a guide on how to get them to do commands. My parents used the slave more than me. Whenver the slave came to me for orders, I just told him to sleep, and they just lie down face up for hours on end until you tell them to do something different. Even now I feel sick when I think about this stuff." _


	5. Chapter 5

**THE KIDNAPPING BUSINESS**

Kidnapping is a lucrative underground business in Quel'thalas. Strictly forbidden, and punishable by death. There is an obsession with purity of Blood Elves and any foreigners are strictly forbidden unless on special arrangement. But the law has not stopped the Blood Elf underground from providing freshly captured extra-nationals to the apothecariums and its black markets accross the kingdom. Living slaves from abroad sell for as much as 2000 gold each, pending on their health and obedience. The language barrier is another issue but many see that barking Thalassian words at the new captives does teach them something.

As undead, they go for the same price. unlike Blood Elf undead, they are harder to maintain. While gnomes may be cute, humans are a prized commodity in Blood Elf markets. Human resemblence with Blood Elves so very high, and are hard to spot if dressed right.

However use as slaves and pets, or torture isnt the only reason humans are so popular with Blood Elves.

Bucky (Thalassian): _"Humans have always been hugely popular, especially among Blood Elf women and children. Men, not so much, but for women, humans have a way to make their hearts jump faster and higher than blood elf men. When human visitors are in Quel'thalas, I see many many Blood Elf women staring at them, some men too. Humans are like this mystery-fantasy object for them. I know humans fantasize about our women and men as well, but for blood elves, this is like a psychotic obsession. Blood elf women will do practically anything to meet a human, and because of the strict government control, it's not like they can go out and meet to date humans. So they resort to seeing somebody with connections to the underground, and paying an exorbant amount of gold and a hearthstone to have a human captured and sent directly to them. _

_If somebody goes out of their way and talks to a human visitor, they'll be arrested, taken away and killed."_

Every year, more than 12,000 human people are captured and smuggled into the kingdom, with little or no hope of escape. Scholley has contacted human captives before during his work there, and through their stories, he released in a scathing report of how they are treated by their captors. The following stats can only give us a brief glimps of what life is like for captives.

_**HUMAN FEMALES KIDNAPPED: GENDER/AGE B-ELF OWNER: USE/REASON:**_

9% young MALE MID AGE SLAVE

5% young/old MALE YOUNG TORTURE

10% young MALE YOUNG/OLD SEX ABUSE

7% young FEMALE MID/OLD PARENTING

1% young FEMALE YOUNG/OLD SEX SLAVE

12% young/mid/old MALE+FEMALE YOUNG/OLD FRIENDSHIP

6% young MALE YOUNG/OLD LOVE/ROMANCE

_**UNSPECIFIABLE % HUMAN CAPTIVES CONVERTED TO UNDEAD AVG's HALF **_

_**EACH ABOVE AND BELOW STAT**_

_**HUMAN MALES KIDNAPPED: GENDER/AGE B-ELF OWNER USE/REASON:**_

8% young/old MALE+FEMALE young/old TORTURE

6% young/old FEMALE mid/old SLAVE

9% young MALE+FEMALE young/old SEX ABUSE

9% young FEMALE+MALE young/old FRIENDSHIP

15% young FEMALE young/old LOVE/ROMANCE

1% young FEMALE/MALE mid/old PARENTING

Sholley's report also suggested that for the use of friendship, romance, and parenting, mana-less elves may be owners of captured humans, suggesting that anyone has access to this market if they have a price. While Scholley had the limited opportunity to compile this information, he admits he doesnt know how many are killed, or die from arcane or fluorine poisoning. He doesn't know how many are injured by their captives, or how many humans have escaped, if at all.

The report was released to city and federal governments of all countries and factions in and out of Azeroth. The report proved to alarm authorities in Stormwind and Dalaran, and security has been tightened.

**ROOM FOR NEGOTIATIONS **

Despite the demands by the rest of Azeroth to stop the human traffiking, Tel'kar Sin'scothar has refused any foreign assistance in the crackdown on extra-national slavery in Quel'thalas. In fact when the red guards and death knights do crack down on the underground, blood elves, AND their captives are all killed and made into undead slaves.

At the border zone south of Thalassian Pass, the join security area called Homaraku Station, named after the nearest mountain to the west, tension remains part of the rote daily routines of patrols, marches, and inspections conducted by the Blood Elf army, and the peacekeeping force. Same patrols are conducted by the Forsaken Army to the south.

Today, KCP SWAT Team 393 will inspect the 'Treaty Hut', the largest of the three buildings straddling the border and sitting on both territories. The Treaty Hut is one of only two places set up in Azeroth for meetings to be held between the Blood Elves, Forsaken, and the Horde-Alliance coalition. The other bing in Violet Citadel, Dalaran.

In the Treaty Hut, one door opens to the south, the other, to the north. All eight men in KCP SWAT 393 are conducting a door check. The guy who will check the knob on the northern door is cuffed by the other hand to two others, who are holding his arm tightly, bracing themselves. The other 5 have their guns up, trained on the door, ready to open fire. This is a measure to keep anyone from being pulled over the border into Quel'thalas.

Outside, Blood Elf guards peer through the windows, watching from outside. Both sides have access to this room. The commanding general of the Forsaken army and his immediate subordinates are the only undead troops allowed in the border zone. They may come and go to the Treaty Hut at any time. Entering is at their choosing. Recently, a peace agreement between the Horde-Alliance coalition and Undercity have eased tensions between the Forsaken undead and the rest of Azeroth. While they are now the rightful owners of all of old Lordaeron, the un-finished war between them and the Blood Elves is still an issue at hand.

Despite only being separated by an unlocked door, meetings are rare, and those who do meet only do so when ordered by the Grand Magister and Banshee Queen.

Simply trying to get a message accross the border at Homaraku Station is very difficult, and shows just how much relations between the once friendly two factions have broken down. Today, the joint Horde-Alliance forces have a message for the Blood Elves.

Criticized for their lack of back bone, the commanders here will sometimes leave it to the foreign troops to deliver that message. Today, it's SWAT 393's job.

A phone hotline is supposed to connect both sides. A phone, contributed by Goblin engineers is used.

Captain P. Wersk of SWAT 393 is making the call. No answer. Today's not a good day to phone the Blood Elves.

But nothing like speaking on a megaphone to get the message accross foolproof. Captain Wersk and his SWAT team stand between the huts just 10 feet away from the concrete block.

Blood Elves on the other side appear to watch SWAT 393 anxiously, maybe hoping for some opporunity to start a beef.

_"Pick up the phone. We have a message to pass!"_ Wersk barks into the megaphone in English, then in Thalassian.

No response.

Wersk continues. _"We have a message to pass, and we'll be reading it. To Senior Commander Kalswythe Sunburner, the Sin'Death Army: _

_Subject: Remains repatriation..."_

In a recent snowstorm, this SWAT team has discovered the body of a Blood Elf mage on Mt. Copper during a patrol. The mage had fallen off a ledge. fell nearly 2000 feet and died from impact a few days ago.

_"In accordance with Paragraph 13-Beaver of the Undercity-Quel'thalas Armistice Agreement..."_

Along with the body of this storm casualty, the coalition peacekeepers have the remains of over 55 dead Blood Elves, mostly whom have died from the cold, lack of arcane rays, or from animal attacks. Captain Wersk is attempting to return the remains of the dead Blood Elves. Repatriation is considered a vital part of the ceasefire agreement.

_"You failed to respond to our proposals to meet on Saggitarii 26th at 09:00 Hours..."_

They tried once before to reach the Blood Elves over this issue.

_"...I propose to meet you, in the Treaty Hut at approximately 15:00 hours, to arrange the repatriation of all these remains._

_Signed, Captain Frank P. Wersk, SWAT Team 393, Kerning City Police." _

But again, the only response, is silence.

Wersk (English): _"Fuck it, fucking Blood Elves are a waste of my goddamn time. Probably squatting up up there snorting crack and shitting eggs again. Report to Tokis, tell him it's a negative,"_

SWATman: _"Yes, sir"_

It's clear that the Blood Elves will only communicate with anyone when ordered to by the Sin'Scothar regime.

**THE GREAT GRAND SIN'SCOTHAR DYNASTY**

At the end of our first day in Quel'thalas, we are hit yet again by a nasty surprise. We have been ordered to be completely separated and to billet with Blood Elf families, families of high ranking Blood Elves ordered to house us. Silvermoon City has been known for its hotels, and we learn that hotels are reserved for high ranking Blood Elves, not visitors like ourselves. Forcing us to separate and spend the night at people's residences is a ploy to separate us and keep us divided for the night, and give our minders a break.

Red Guards escort us to the homes of the chosen families. We hardly know any words of Thalassian, and our host families do not know a word of English. We are forbidden to have contact with one another until our minders bring us back to Inle the next day.

Living with a family of a people who hate us is not at all easy, or fun. They will try to talk to you in Thalassian with increasing frustration at your inability to respond, and as it is not a warm welcome, you are put to work doing chores and working alongside the house slaves who also don't speak English.

Without our minders around or without Olsen, we are at the mercy of our host families, and they are free to do what they will with us, even kill us. The only penalty they face is the lost bonus payment for accomodating us.

A few weeks into our eye-repair mission, I convince the minders to let us visit one of our patients in their home. It is an elderly Blood Elf woman who was blind most of her life. Much to my surprise, they suddenly agree.

We are taken to the home in Starlight City. As we are the first humans to be allowed into a Blood Elf home as welcomed guests in over hundreds of years. The woman lives in an 8th floor apartment in the heart of Starlight City.

There are six minders watching us, but still I feel lucky being here. As it is, this woman's family is priveleged. She lives here with four family members including three grandchildren. They bow before the pictures of the Sin'Scothar family. Olsan translates for us.

Mara 65 (English) _"How difficult is it for your mother, without sight?"_

The son answers quickly. (Thalassian) _"The most difficult thing for my mother is that she can't see the Grand Magister."_

Mara 65 (English) _"Why do you want to see the supreme leader so much?"_

old woman (Thalassian):_ "My family and I lived happily because of our Grand Magister. So I want to see him with my eyes. So I can thank him."_

What surprised us was so were the minders and the rest of her family.

_"The official is cryng..."_

Telliwithe (Thalassian): "_As I listened to her, I couldn't help but cry. If our nation and leader didn't exist, we might as well all be dead. My father was killed, so I was raised by our Grand Magister, and now I'm a party member."_

Mara (English): _"Quel'thalas is a great country. How does the Grand Magister defend it against big powers like the Alliance and Horde?"_

official (Thalassian): _"Even though Quel'thalas is small, we still serve the Grand Magister. We have a strong arm of unity, which is stronger than the weapons of the Alliance and Horde combined. And we have our Sunwell, thanks to the Grand Magister. The Alliance and Horde don't know how to deal with us. This is all because we have Grand Magister Tel'kar Sin'scothar and his family as the leaders of our nation. Our country's unity is stronger than any weapon anyone can throw at us. It is stronger than that of the Lich King's Scourge, it is stronger than any blight the undead may throw at us. It is as strong as the power of the Sun itself. So we're not afraid."_

How did this insanely brainwashed mindset take hold. Blood Elves appear to be a strongwilled people, but psychological experts familiar with Blood Elf psyche can easily tell they are for the most part brainwashed.

Bucky: (Thalsssian): _"Quel'thalas' defiant stance comes from the Sin'scothar's ideology of self reliance. This self reliance philosophy pretty much means "up yours" to the rest of Azeroth. They can make everything themselves, they don't need anyone else. Outsiders are like, 'why do they make such a big deal?' It's not right. Blood Elves are starving, crime is rampant although they will deny that- they are the ones commiting it. There's no trade, and everyone hates them." _

Max Harpsnip works at the Silver Enclave in Dalaran. He has studied and researched Blood Elves and their society for years, and educated people visiting the kingdom, or others being sent to the border. He is the ambassador for Stormwind- the only human in a political position to be allowed to even speak with Blood Elf diplomats.

_"No one can blame the Blood Elves for being so defiant. Their history is full of invasions, violence, trekking through dangerous turf. Millions of Blood Elves died on that long trek they made through Tirisfal before setting up home in what is now Quel'thalas. The orcs invaded, so did the trolls, then the scourge, and the humans betrayed them. they were even betrayed by their own, Kael'thas who did Light-know's-what to all his Blood Elf pilgrims in Outland. They suffered all sorts of abuse at the hands of many invaders. Demons, undead, us. The Blood Elves turned this history around and said to all of us, "Fuck you, everybody, we're not going to take your shit no more. Come at us again, and we'll blow your asses all to hell." And they have demonstrated that same message by building the newer, bigger Sunwell, by testing that 800 megaton arcane bomb, and by, well, invading Forsaken territory, and attacking Undercity. To them, it's all righteous revenge. And for Blood Elves, it's a deep, blood churning thrill that somebody stood up and defied the world."_

Tyndistor Sin'scothar used this ideology to run Quel'thalas for more than a century. And to turn himself into the godly father figure of the nation. He is the subject of intense worship, more so than any deity of any religion in Azeroth and beyond. He ruled with an iron fist, and weilded absoulte power. anyone who fell out of line was killed.


	6. Chapter 6

When Tyndistor Sin'scothar died in 1964, he left behind a weeping, crying nation. Camera-crews who happened to be there at the time of his death recorded images of thousands of Blood Elves on their knees crying hysterically over the death of their Great Magistor. It is believed they feared that his death would bring about the end for them.

[exerpt from KMTV News, Oct 18, 1984]

_"...today marks all out tragedy in the Azerothian province of Quel'thalas. The self proclaimed independent sovereign nation is in tears today as it sees the passing of its founder Grand Magister Tyndistor Sin'Scothar. A TV film crew from Iron Forge-based GGN were on the scene filming a documentery when the magister died. They brought out images of thousands weeping, and days of mourning. The outcry over his death hit a climactic peak as the hawkstrider carriage carrying the coffin paraded through Silvermoon last night. As the Blood Elves weep over their loss and face what they see as an uncertain future, Tyndistor's son, Tel'kar will take position of dictator. This event has left leaders of the Alliance and Horde scratching their heads in confusion, wondering how Tyndistor Sin'Scothar turned the strongwilled Blood Elf people into a mass of crybabies. I'm Bob Bouns, KMTV news, Dalaran..."_

Tyndistor's death left a tramatized nation.

(Thalassian): _"GREAT MAGISTER! IS THIS TRUE? ARE YOU LEAVING WITHOUT US???_

In Azeroth's first communist-dynastic handover, Tel'kar Sin'scothar took power. Tel'kar rules by fear, and hardly ever listens to anyone other than his like-minded family.

Tel'kar lives lavishly, but maintains a strict discipline, even to his family and Queen Kakaine.

Over the years, Tel'kar has used his father's philosphy to unify the Blood Elves in opposition in all things foreign. Especially when it comes Blood Elves who have lived outside of Quel'thalas, now going on two, nearly three generations. While Tyndistor Sin'scothar urged his Blood Elves living abroad to return home, Tel'kar dispatched the blood elf armies and brought his people home by force.

The blood elf armies terrorized cities and towns hunting down their brethren who either escaped, refused to return home, or were born outside of Quel'thalas.

The Sin'Death Army is always running around Azeroth hunting down and murdering Blood Elves and other races they have been socially related with. Like Humans, outborn Blood Elves(all manaless) are prized in the black markets.

Tel'kar Sin'scothar speaking as he addresses Blood Elf troops in Silvermoon: (Thalassian_): "Glory to the army of the Sin'dorei!"_

**CRIME AND PUNISHMENT **

The Sin'scothar family use their ideology to assert their iron grip on the Blood Elves. Ideology that is now deep in the moral fiber of Blood Elves. And they will crush all dissent.

One way is by the use of prison camps in remote areas. Camps home to torture facilities. All prisoners are tortured, starved of arcane rays, food, eventually killed, risen as undead, and tortured all over again. It is a sadistic method of treatment for thousands for opposing the regime, and an extra step before being reduce to undead slaves. The prison camps are few, but vast construction sites, mining operations, and manufacturing facilities in Quel'thalas reserved for dissidents take on prison or camp like appearance. This is to strike fear into the hearts of Blood Elves everywhere, even the lower class ones.

Because the rich fertile land of Quel'thalas is highly valued, most camps are on artifical islands.

This 100 x 300 km site is called Quel'Kolymas, a camp on the new artificial island of Qa'Pallos. Huge manufactoriums are home to the living slaves and prisoners, who will churn out goods, tools, and other common goods used in construction. During the construction of the new Sunwell, this massive prison camp was home to the millions of undead slaves who built the artificial islands, and bored a hole in the earth 5 miles deep for the creation of the Sunwell.

Now this place is used mainly for torture. Undead are subject to even worse torture. They are forced to trudge through the mud carrying tons of rock and dirt and stack it up on what will become a new artificial island. Living prisoners are also discarded into deep water and their bodies are crushed by the 60,000 lbs/square inch pressure. They are converted into undead by apothecaries out in the water. Chain gangs of tens of thousands will work until their bodies have worn to the point they break apart. Dragonhawk riders hover above the camp and lethal sparks of arcane are fired down at the horde of undead slaves. It is extremely rare for anyone to be sent down here, and ever to live to see the surface. Suffering and agony is all they know.

Barracks and buildings create what looks like a barren town. Buildings are simple rectangular or square like structures.

Defector Allain Ko'saum was a guard at Quel'Kolymas. He is a seasoned veteran warlock who watched the prisoners. . The Sunwell is only five miles away from here, and the intense arcane radiation kept him alive for the 10 years he served as a guard here.

Allain (Thalassian): _"When we were educated as guards, we were told not to think of the prisoners as Blood Elves at all. They were animals, no they were scum. The moment you enter a Blood Elf prison camp, you are no longer a valid being. If you think so, there's no way you can survive."_

Allain remembers seeing fellow guards shooting and killing prisoners for minor offenses such as searching for fish (or on land, mice) to eat. Food is scarce almost non existant.

Allain (Thalasian): _I saw some mana-less elf kids, up on the new island we just finished building, fighting over dragonhawk manure. We were terraforming the island. it was to be an agricultural island. The kids found the manure and were fighting over the oats in it."_

On far away artificial islands or up in the mountains, or deep udnerground were what Allain called family camps. For the family members of enemies of the state, people who made only a remark, joke, or even smirk in opposition to the regime.

If a Blood Elf citizen simply complained about their pay or taxes, or a law or fine, his whole entire family could end up in these camps, or as undead slaves. The Blood Elf population is booming, and the hundreds of thousands in these camps, living and undead (as killed by the apothecaries or death knights), are less than 1% of the population.

Nonetheless, these camps keep Blood Elves loyal to the Sin'scothar dynasty.

**DESPERATE TO ESCAPE**

Despite the costs, many Blood Elves are desperate to escape. They range mostly from the lower class. Many are mana-less, outborns who were captured and brought home, or even undead slaves who still retain their memory and will. As Quel'thalas is surrounded by shark infested waters, Most attempt brave the 160 mile journey along the coast or by sea to Tirisfal, or the Scarlet Enclave area. But they are not on their own.

Numerous underground organisations, now collaberating with missionaries of the Light, Elune, Earthmother, and other religions are working together in a covert but subtle operation to smuggle out Blood Elves, or captured members of other races- anyone who see's the chance to escape.

The smuggling for many is paid for by the Silver Covenant, a high elf faction that is an enemy to the state.

Falian is in charge of the smuggling operations. He pays black market organisations who are connected to smugglers to smuggle out Blood Elves, or other Azerothians who have been captured and taken there. He has direct contact with numerous guilds and rogue gangs and will pay 5000-12000g fee to have each Blood Elf removed from Quel'thalas.

However, the means of rescuing Blood Elves is extremely difficult, and so the specialised rogue gangs resort to the best method: Kidnapping.

Falian: _"I put these people's lives on contract. I pay the smugglers to capture them and teleport them to safety. I would much prefer to have my contractors speak with refugees, but they are too scared to willingly leave on their own. Past refugees have told me they did not like the means of violent capture, but they told me it's the only way for anyone, blood Elf or foreigner to successfully escape Quel'thalas._

The way its done is by hiring rogues and druids, whom are adept at stealth. Magi can program hearthstones and wormhole generators to transport to any location in Azeroth, even if they have not been there. a magical grid is part of hearthstone programming, and thus will warp to and from Quel'thalas and any other point in the country.

Druids and rogues will hearth into Quel'thalas, with orders from the Silver Covenant or other client organisation that is dedicated or making big money off of freeing Blood Elves. Other organisations have slaveries of their own, so freeing them is not only dangerous, but a fierce competitions.

Rogues can troll Quel'thalas for days , watching, and waiting. When they have spotted their target, they will not just go up and greet them then offer a chance to escape. They will wait until the refugee, is alone and them ambush and subdue them; then activate the harthstone and teleport themselves, and the refugee back.

The arco-magnetic sheild can block hearth stone warp paths, but, with advanced hearth stones, a warp path can be plotted in advance of use, by-passing the sheild underground. No damage is done to the travellers.

Guilds and gangs who have established a permanent operation in this smuggling business always have people inside Quel'thalas, either in the back markets, or out looking for suffering Blood Elves. They follow guidelines to determine if a Blood Elf will survive at least long enough to pay the exorbant fee for getting out. With charity payments made by the likes of the Silver Covenant, this is often overlooked as these rogues doing the smuggling don't like to be in Quel'thalas for very long.

Payment doesn't always have to be gold, infact the easiest thing for a refugee to do is point out another Blood Elf, preferabbly a high standing one who would make for a good slave sale, and the refugee's deliverance to safety is garanteed.

The Steamwheedle Cartel is heavy into the smuggling business, and will resort to it when they have a shortage of employees. As the goblin run SWC charges very little for the smuggling, it has freed and employed thousands of Azerothians from the kingdom. with the help of the Silver Covenant, and other mage organisations, recovery and support programs are in place for the Blood Elves when they begin to feel the effects of a lack of arcane energy.

Bix Fazzlewax is the one in charge of the SWC's operation.

_"Money's money, but that's where our competitors stop thinking. We charge them much smaller fees and offer them lifetime employment in one of our thousands of companies accross Azeroth. Decent wage, lifetime benefits. Blood elf workers are needed in our cloth and leather shops, they do it better than anyone else. We free them, they work for us, they go out make us money, it's a win win situation, pal. The Steamwheedle Cartel is the only company that will hire Blood Elves. Nobody else likes'em, probably 'cause they smell real bad at first. They also got a handle on the orphan program, they do all the childcare, and when not living in a place where you gotta be a mean asshole, they are pretty friendly. And we know about their thing for humans, hah! Ol' Peddlefeet's got a matchmaking thing goin on where he hooks up humans and Blood Elves, that way they don't gotta go around kidnapping eachother and then ruin the relationship by hating eachother for the kidnapping one another._

_Our competitors are failing hard, friend, they demand that the refugees pay up 10k, 12k. Where the hell are they gonna get that kind of money? Where? So they're not making much as they fantasize about making and now they're just selling them off which kills their point of being good willed and looking good in front of everyone else, well except for the Sin'scothars. We get them out, put them to work and they will make as much money or product over the long run. Blood Elves are hard workers. its a part of them, and always will be, and only we of the Steamwheedle Cartel are putting that virtue of theirs to work. It's a win-win, I tell ya!"_

While many have escaped by being taken out by hearthing rogues, very few others have risked their lives and crossed the border zone.

Bucky is one of them.

Bucky (Thalassian): _"I personally believe that I got through, guided by the Sun, because of the Light's will."_

Bucky used to be a guard in charge of a communications broadcasting post in the valley.

_"My job was hard to get, and it required strong loyalty and belief in the system. In fact I only got it because of my fiance. She wanted me to see the enemy and so her father, through connections, sent me out there to work at the broadcasting station. We broadcasted radio from Silvermoon, and messages from the government. Mistakes were not tolerated, not even one."_

One night, Bucky's partner broadcasted the wrong message to the enemy. He told the other side that the next day was a holiday.

Bucky (Thalassian): _"I knew I'd be under great threat from the government. My family and fiance would hate me. They would have me killed. I knew my chances of survival were zero."_

So Bucky and his partner, another young Blood Elf soldier, escaped before authorities arrived. They drugged their fellow guards, and fled to the mountains. They climbed halfway up Mt. Copper, where the Blood Elf wall was none more than arcane-powered barbed wire fencing. The temperature was freezing, nearly -20C, lethal cold for Blood Elves.

Bucky had a plan to divert the arcane current long enough for him and his buddy to escape. He stole a staff from an equipment shed, energised it, then allowed it to lean on the fence, causing a violent flurry of blue sparks. Up on the mountainside, he knows patrols from both sides are few. He strips off his clothes then crawls through the gap under the barbed wire. He looks back and watches his buddy crawl through-

The staff slips and hits the ground. At the same time the barbed wire touches his fellow guard's back. He explodes in a violent burst of flaming flesh. He was hit with nearly a million amps of arcane current.

Bucky (Thalassian): _"I watched him scream as he died. Seeing somebody set out with you on this dangerous a journey then watching him die is really demotivating and depressing. I was then filled with fear."_

Bucky slowly walked through the mine field. He knew arcane radiation emitted by his own body was enough to set off the landmines.

After what felt like hours, Bucky got through the mind field and lie flat on the snow covered ground.

When a patrol group found him, he said, "I surrender." He was taken in for interrogation and debriefing. He is later sent to the internment camps in Hillsbrad to be processed. Bucky now lives in Dalaran, and has a desk job working for the Silver Covenant. While he is terrified of the Sunreavers and hardly leaves the Silver Enclave, Bucky knows that the Sunreavers won't dare enter the Enclave.

Bucky (Thalassian): _"Back in Quel'thalas, I had a priveleged life. I don't regret giving that up. They have no freedom there. I can't say that I miss my home country. Until the Sin'scothar's reign of terror ends and Blood Elves can be as they were during King Anasterian's rule, I don't ever want to go back home."_

But Bucky's escape from Quel'thalas didn't come without cost. When asked what happened to his family, he said, _"I-I'd rather not talk about that."_

Bucky plans to leave Dalaran and go to Shattrath City. There, the blood elf group, the Scryers are not affiliated with Quel'thalas, and wouldn't care about him, although he plans to avoid other Blood Elves. The Sin'scothar regime has no access to Outland, and any of their representatives are forbidden to go Shattrath City.


	7. Chapter 7

**LAST NIGHT **

It's our final night in Quel'thalas. Dr. Olsan works late into the night as he closes in on his goal of 5000 surgeries. The team of Blood Elves who he has mentored this month are ready to carry on his work and educate others in their respective hometowns. We have been moved from Inle to work in Starlight City, working tirelessly to grant more and more Blood Elves their vision. At 2am, the guards order us to stop and be returned to our host families.

We have learned to speak a bit of Thalassian, and for the most part have gotten through over 30 nights with unfriendly Blood Elf families.

Olsan_:"These Blood Elves have two eyes, two ears, a mouth. They're just like you, me and like taurens, like night elves, like humans, like dwarves, gnomes and so on, they are still people who need our love, especially when coldly neglected by their own brethren."_

Olsan strongly believes in goodwill engagement, and wants to help people, regardless of race. He believes that is a virtue that will truely bring Azeroth together. After granting undead slaves vision with lens replacement, he applies his same feelings for the undead as well.

_"They are forced to exist long past their point of passing, and like the rest of us they deserve the same treatment as the living. I think that's one thing their leader, Banshee Queen Syvannas Windrunner has been trying to achieve for so long now. As for Blood Elves, it doesn't matter their politics are what they are, they still need the support of others."_

After finishing a procedure on a blood elf child, he picks her up and places her next to his other recovering patients.

_"She's going to have a future now. Her family should want to take her back now."_

The next day, we will see the latest batch of results. Olsan has trained us all very well, with only few patients requiring further surgery. These Blood Elves will remove the bandages and cloths wrapped around their heads and see for the first time in years.

How they see the world is different from how we see it.

At the healing center, the patients are waiting for Dr. Olsan to remove their bandages. He has achieved his goal of operating on more than 5000 patients here in Quel'thalas.

Dr. Olsan is optimistic. As soon as bandages are removed, the patients should be able to see clearly. Our minders warn us to film only fully the pictures of the Sin'Scothar family hanging on the walls.

The first is an 18 year old Blood Elf girl. She had been blind for six years. Rather than be turned over to the guards to be killed, her father and mother have kept her hidden away in their house and fed.

Olsan (Thalassian) _"Allright, open your eyes, try to reach out and touch my nose."_

the blood elf does so, with a smile on her face.

_"Now, how many fingers am I holding up?"_

_"four."_

_"Where's your father?"_

_"Dad?"_

_"Sarath! Can you see me?"_

_"Yes! I can see very well! It's because of the Grand Magister! We should bow to the Grand Magister for this. Thank you, Grand MAgister!"_

_"WE PRAISE YOU!"_

_"WE PRAISE YOU!"_

For Olsan, all he is shown for appreciation for his work are quick nods. Ecstatic over their ability to see, the Blood Elves gather around the portrait of the Sin'scothar family and bow and praise the tyrant family, as if they, like gods and godesses, cured their blindness. Others clap for them as they do so. As more and more Blood Elves open their eyes to see, the first thing they do is pay tribute to the Grand Magister.

As I watch these Blood Elves say and do pretty much the same thing over and over and over and over again, I wondered, which Blood Elves were praising Tel'kar Sin'scothar out of genuine faith, and which of them were acting out of fear. And finally it came to me. Here, after generations of absolute rule and complete indoctrination there is probably no difference of true belief and true fear.

Blood Elf (Thalassian_) "I praise you, Lord Sin'scothar, and I will grab my old staff, and I will kill everyone of the human enemies I see in your name!"_

Blood Elf (Thalassian) _"Because you brought us light and your greatness, I swear that I'll serve you and be faithful for generations to come! Great MAgister Tel'kar Sin'scothar! WE PRAISE YOU!"_

Now it is time to leave Quel'thalas, and rather than only be relived to go back to Dalaran, we are moved by what we have seen here. In the time we have spent in Quel'thalas, we have learned that we now understand even less about the Blood Elf kingdom than before.

We are forced to split apart for an hour to see our billet families for the last time. While we have hardly understood what they said to us other than simple commands, I''m sure my billet mother told me to take what lessons I learned home and apply them well. Not that I knew for sure that's what she said, but I could sense it.

It's not until we arrive in Dalaran and go through a long 'exit' meeting with the Sunreavers that we finally turn in our visitor robes for our own clothes and reciever our belongings and travel documents. Just before letting us leave the Sunreavers Sanctum, we are forced to bow to a picture of the Grand Magister one last time out of respect for the blood elf kingdom.

We catch odd looks from others who see a bunch of humans whose hair is still in Blood Elf styles. I look forward to having my hair returned to normal and cleansed of the lotions that give it its arcane smell. We are told that after living a month in Quel'thalas, we will be smelling like blood elves for a week or two and advised to stay in the city until it goes away.

The future looks uncertain but steady for the moment. Despite the armies that have massed at the border at Thalassian Pass, both governments of the Forsaken and Sin'dorei have focused on other issues and become less hostile. The Alliance and Horde leaders have even suggested a slowl mutual standown at the border to prevent an all out war, but that remains to be seen.

Eventually, Blood Elves may have to reshape their country in the future to create a safe long lasting nation, as no one else will do it for them. Hope is given to blood elf exiles who live scattered throughout Azeroth, who many one day in the future rise to challenge the tyranny of the Sin'scothar regime.

Quel'thalas is a place ruled by an absolute dictator who now posesses weapons of mass destruction. It's no longer possible to look at the kingdom as an isolated anomaly. What happens here in the Blood Elf kingdom can directly touch everyone else in Azeroth.


End file.
